Nashville Dreams
by Song Prompts
Summary: Edward moved to Nashville to pursue his dream of becoming a songwriter.  After years of waiting for a break, he's offered an opportunity that could be the payoff to his hard work.  He's spent all his time focused on his music. He hasn't dated or noticed the women that try to catch his attention.  How will he know if someone walks into his life that could be that special someone?


**Subject:** Song Prompts Contest

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 **Title:** Nashville Dreams

 **Summary:** Edward moved to Nashville to pursue his dream of becoming a songwriter. After years of waiting for a break, he's offered an opportunity that could be the payoff to his hard work. He's spent all his time focused on his music. He hasn't dated or noticed the women that try to catch his attention. How will he know if someone walks into his life that could be that special someone?

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** T

 **Word Count** : 6,286

 **DISCLAIMER:** Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I pushed the door open. A slow smile spread across my face at the sight before me. The recording studio itself was standard and rather unremarkable. Other than the rather extensive sound board, there were two office chairs, a couch and a small table. On the other side of the glass were the microphone, guitar stands, and a piano. I'd been in my fair share of them over the years. This was different though. Usually, I found myself here after being able to scrape together enough cash to buy recording time. I'd record another song I'd poured over to perfect. Then, I would send it out to label after label and artist after artist while praying for a nibble that someone would like it enough to put it on their album.

It didn't bring in much money, and while I wanted money, it wasn't my motivation behind it. I was a musician. Music was in my bones, and things didn't feel right if I wasn't making it. This time, though guaranteed a steady paycheck, and it also meant a steady gig. As long as the audience liked the show, which I'd been assured was set to be a hit, I'd be writing songs that would get a voice, but would also be heard by millions around the country. This was more than I could have ever hoped for, something I'd honestly never considered.

"Edward," I heard from behind me and turned to greet Mike, the producer that had recruited me for this adventure. I held my hand out and shook his as he stopped in front of me.

"Howdy, Mike," I greeted warmly.

"Find the place okay?" I nodded as I once again looked back at the booth. "Good. Why don't you have a seat?" I nodded again, set my guitar to the side and took a seat in the chair by the sound board. He sat across from me on the couch. "So, I know we've talked about the uniqueness of the project but there haven't been many details. We've been ironing things out up to just a few days ago, but I think you're really going to like what we have planned."

Mike explained that many songwriters would be involved in a new television series about the lives of successful and struggling country music artists set in Nashville, Tennessee. I still couldn't believe I'd been picked to be a part of this. While we writers weren't the people that would be portraying the characters on the show, we'd been specifically recruited because we embodied the qualities of the characters of the show. For that reason, as each person involved in the project – songwriters and actors – met for the first time, our interactions would be observed by producers and scriptwriters of the show since it could inspire the direction of it. Though that was a little unnerving, it wasn't enough to hold me back. This was my passion, and nothing was going to keep me from accomplishing my dream of writing music that touched people.

"Do you have any questions?" Mike asked.

"Tons I'm sure," I admitted and chuckled as Mike laughed. "I can ask as we go along, right?"

"Of course! Do you have any right now that you can think of?" I twisted the chair as I tapped out a rhythm that had been on my mind for a few days.

"Do y'all have any direction for me to start? I know you said I'd meet the creator, and I'm sure she'll give us an overview of where she sees the show going. For now, though, is there something specific you want me to be working on?" Mike sat forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"Don't worry about that right now. We want this to be as organic as possible. For now, just write." He stood and paced a few steps while thinking. "What we're doing here is really special. I've never seen anything like this before, and I've been in this business for over 20 years." He turned back towards me and seeing his passion for this endeavor amped up my excitement. "Callie's been molding this project for ten years, and the team's been assembled for the past three. We believe in this and will do everything in our power to make it successful. But I honestly believe this is a show that's going to go places even we can't imagine. I really think it's going to change our lives."

"Mike," a man said as he stepped into the room. I hadn't even heard the door open. "Callie is here, and we've got seven of the songwriters in the studio. The last one won't be in until late tonight due to a delayed plane."

"Thanks, Jeff. We're right behind ya." Jeff nodded and left the room. "I guess that's our cue. Are you ready?"

Was I ready? It seemed like such a simple question. I was ready to write. I was ready to be a part of something that I hoped was marginally successful. I was ready to work with what I had no doubt would be a group of exceptionally talented people. I was ready to create beautiful music and have it sung by some equally beautiful voices. But there was a feeling deep in my gut that something was about to happen for which I wasn't prepared. I didn't know what it was, but deep in my soul I knew things were about to change. I wasn't sure I was ready for that.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." He smiled widely, clapped his hand on my shoulder, and I smiled back.

"Follow me."

~ND~

Exhaustion was starting to catch up with me. The songwriters had been working together for a week now, and it was a dream. There were eight of us scheduled to start the show off, but one still hadn't arrived. Jeff had mentioned a delayed plane, but it turned out she'd missed it, for good reason though. Her mom had suffered a heart attack, and she'd gone to the hospital with her. The producers were in constant contact with her, and I'd heard she'd be arriving tomorrow.

We'd been moving forward with the songwriting though, and when there were that many unbelievably talented people in one room, it was damn hard to call it a night. The energy was electric and the music inspiring. We'd already canned six songs and had three more in the works. As hot as we were right now, I could only imagine what adding another person to the mix would produce.

Right now, though, all I wanted to do was sleep. I unlocked the door to my apartment and made my way to the bedroom. My stomach rumbled reminding me I hadn't eaten in a few hours, but the call of my bed was louder. After dumping my guitar by the dresser, I didn't bother to undress before falling onto the covers to rest. I must have passed out quickly, because the next thing I knew, I was being jerked awake by the sound of my phone. I searched around for a second until I realized it was still in my back pocket. I dug it out and answered without looking at the name of the caller.

"Hello, son of mine." I smiled as her cheerful voice came across the line.

"Hey, Momma." I sat up and rubbed my face trying to dispel the grogginess.

"Did I wake ya?" I could hear the worry in her voice, so I rushed to reassure her.

"It's fine. I needed to get up, anyway. How are ya?"

"I'm good. Just wondering how my baby boy's been. I haven't heard from you in a few weeks." I felt bad immediately.

"I'm sorry, Momma. I know it's been a while." She hurried to shush me.

"Now, now. That wasn't to make ya feel bad. I know you're busy with this new project that you won't tell us much about. I just figured I'd check in, see how ya are."

I hadn't told them much about the new show on which I was working. The crew felt it was going to be a huge success, and I could feel that it was something special. It was a new show though, and the music industry could be fickle. Add the film industry on top of that, and it was even more unstable. I didn't want to say much until I knew there was a true green light on the project.

"I'm good. We've been writing for a week now and already have six songs ready. You know how late these things can run, and with seven of us, we tend to burn the candle at both ends." She laughed, and I knew she was thinking about my teenage years.

I'd first picked up a guitar when I was eight, and momma said she knew from that very day the guitar would be my future. I played that thing until my fingers bled. Momma and Daddy put me in lessons, and by ten, I was writing my own songs. No one would hear those first ones I wrote though. I still cringed thinking about how juvenile they were.

I was a pretty good student, but the older I became, the more time I spent on my music. I'd be up to midnight or later before crashing with the guitar and notebooks surrounding me. Mom would wake me in time for school which I'd somehow get through before starting on my music as soon as I got home. Momma always wanted to help me get gigs, but I didn't like singing in front of people. I never had a desire to be the one to sing my songs; I only wanted to write them.

When I turned 18, two weeks after I graduated, I went to my parents and told them I wanted to move to Nashville. Daddy wasn't surprised. I honestly think he knew before I did that this was the direction my life would take. Momma, though, was shocked. She always knew this was what I wanted to do, but I think she had planned for me to go to college first then pursue music. I couldn't imagine putting it off another few years though. Therefore, we compromised. They'd help support me in Nashville if I took at least two classes a semester. It was tough, but I did it.

We talked for the next fifteen minutes, catching up on what had been happening in Texas since I'd left eight years ago. My brother would be graduating high school this year, and he'd been waffling between colleges, hadn't made a solid decision yet. Momma thought he'd choose OU, but I was convinced he'd end up at Texas A&M. He'd fallen in love with that place the first time our parents took us on a tour when I was sixteen, he was twelve. Jackson would be an Aggie; I'd bet my next paycheck on it.

"So, do you have a special lady in your life that you need to tell me about?" I tried to keep my exasperation concealed. I was tired of this always being the question.

"No, Momma." She sighed, and I rolled my eyes.

"Baby, when are you gonna find someone to settle down with?" I shook my head and put her on speaker so I could change before heading back to the studio.

"I don't know. I just haven't found her yet. I'm pretty busy with my music, so I don't have a lot of time to meet people. Besides, how would I even know if I saw her?"

"You'll know, I can guarantee, when the right one comes along."

"Sure, Momma. I'll just know." I picked the phone back up after slipping on my shoes. "I'd like a big neon sign. We got lots of those in Nashville. Then I wouldn't have to do so much lookin'." She laughed. "Where's Daddy? Doesn't he want to say hi to his favorite son?"

"Edward!" I chuckled. That always gets a rise out of her. "Your daddy got called into the station earlier, but he told me to tell you hello and that he loves you." She could tell I was wrapping up, trying to get on my way. "Maybe we can talk to you soon?" I nodded as I held the phone between my ear and shoulder and reached to tie my shoes.

"I'll call y'all soon, Momma – within the week."

"That sounds great. Try to make it an evening if possible, and you can chat with Jackson too. He misses you."

~ND~

"Time out, time out," Jason stopped us. "A chord's off. I'm loving the rest, but I think we need a minor right there." I replayed the lick and knew the spot he was talking about. I backed it up a few bars and played it with an A minor. "Yeah, yeah, yeah! That's it!" I jotted the change down.

"Let's go from the top," I said as I placed the pencil between my teeth and tapped a four count to start. We played a few bars, and it felt right. "Sheena, bring it up half a step." She picked the notes, and a wide grip spread across my face. I heard the words in my head and waited for the upswing to sing 'em. "Why do I keep drinking/Wasting my time on you/If I didn't know better/Well, dammit, I do."

"Nice!" I turned to see Mike walking in with someone behind him. A petite brunette was turned, her attention diverted to the rest of the studio. Mike stopped in front of us, and with her head turned, she didn't see.

"Oof!" she exclaimed as she ran into his back. She stumbled sideways before righting herself. She took a deep breath before smiling at us. "Well. Hello." Everyone chuckled, but all I could do was stare. _So beautiful._ She was small, coming only to Mike's chest who was the same height as me. Her hair was swept over a shoulder and secured with a tie, but some strands were loose and framing her face – her gorgeous face. Her full lips were mesmerizing. On top sat a small, button nose, and her eyes were bright and sparkled with delight.

"It's sounding great, guys." Mike nodded emphatically before pulling the woman forward. "This is Bella Swan. She's gonna round out our little group."

"I'm sorry I'm late, but I'm excited to be here and to work with y'all. I think this is going to be a great partnership." Mike moved to Sheena and introduced them individually. Jason pulled my attention away to discuss the verse I'd just sung. I listened to him as best I could, but my attention kept being pulled back to the brunette, to Bella. Something about her intrigued me.

"What do ya think?" I turned back to Jason.

"Sorry. What was that?" He chuckled and shook his head.

"A chorus. I'm thinking this doesn't lend itself to one. Am I on the right track?" I mulled it over in my head and eventually nodded.

"I think you're right. It's not meant to have one."

"Was that the beginning?" I shook my head.

"Didn't feel like it." I strummed a few chords thinking it over. "If I didn't know better, I'd hang my hat right there/If I didn't know better, I'd follow you up the stairs." I shook my head. This wasn't right.

"Play it again?" I looked up to see Bella biting her lip. I started from the beginning, and she sang back the lines I'd just sung. Her voice was unique, her tone full. Everyone around us stopped talking and watched as she swayed gently from side to side. I kept playing, my eyes never leaving her even though hers were closed. "Stop saying those sweet things/You know I'd like to hear/The horns are blowing louder/The bailiff's drawing near." Sheena cat-called, and Bella turned to her with a smile.

"Sit, sit," I told Bella as we all kept playing. She pulled the messenger bag from her shoulder, dropped it gently to the floor, slipped out of her shoes, and sat on the loveseat next to me with her legs crossed underneath. Mike moved back to the fringes of my vision and just watched. We spent the next twenty minutes hammering out the remainder of the song. "From the top. Bella, sing with me."

 _If I didn't know better, I'd hang my hat right there  
If I didn't know better, I'd follow you up the stairs_

 _Stop saying those sweet things  
You know I'd like to hear  
The horns are blowing louder  
The bailiff's drawing near_

 _Why do I keep drinking  
Wasting my time on you  
If I didn't know better  
Well, dammit, I do_

 _There's a hole in what you're saying  
I can plainly see  
You've a lover that's waiting  
But, baby, you're right here with me_

 _Ooh  
You might as well be the devil  
Keeping me out past three  
Well, you're the one with that apple  
But, baby, you can't blame me_

 _Why don't you keep drinking  
Give me one night with you  
If I didn't know better  
Well, dammit, I do_

 _Oh baby I do  
Baby, you're right here with me  
Sweet daddy, you know I do_

When we came to a natural end, no one said a word. We just looked around the group and smiled.

"Well, shit," Mike said from his spot. He laughed heartily. A couple of people started chatting immediately and getting it down on paper. Mike walked over towards us and Bella stood. I stood too. "Bella, this is the man I was telling you about." I set my guitar on the cushion. "Edward Masen."

"Pleased to meet you, ma'am," I said as I held my hand out. She smiled and covered her mouth as she giggled.

"Bella," she said, her voice quiet but sure. "I'm Bella Swan. Not ma'am." She reached forward, but instead of taking my hand, she placed hers on my chest. Confused, I looked to Mike, but he was watching her. I turned back to see she'd closed her eyes, her brows were furrowed slightly, and a small smile graced her lips. I opened my mouth to question her, but she quieted me gently. "Shh. I'm saying hello to your soul."

I didn't know if someone was watching, if we'd drawn anyone's attention, because I kept my eyes on her. After a few moments, her eyes opened and her gaze caught mine. A small, serene smile tugged at her lips. It caused my lips to stretch into a grin as well. She slid her hand down my arm and gripped my fingers softly.

"I think we're going to make something beautiful," she said. I took a slow, deep breath. I wanted to make something beautiful with her. I just wasn't sure exactly what that something was just yet.

"Callie." We both turned, our connection broken as Mike talked on the phone. Realizing our attention was now on him, he gave us an apologetic look before turning and walking a few steps to continue his conversation. "You've got to see this."

"I'm sorry I'm late," Bella apologized, and I turned back to her.

"No," I assured her. "Don't be sorry. We heard you were with our mom. Family is family. No need to apologize for that."

"Thanks." I looked down and realized our hands were still entwined. She followed my gaze to see the same and pulled away with another apology.

"Hey," Jason said, interrupting our moment. We turned to him. "Join us. Let's get this finished. We start recording tomorrow."

~ND~

Time flew. Once the songwriting team had been fully assembled, the screenwriters along with Callie met with us. There were so many of them. Not every person would be involved in writing each episode, but Callie called them the core team. Their job was to ensure consistency. They would guarantee that each new writer or director stayed true to the show and remained in the realm of what had been created. These twelve men and women had been crafting this show for the past three years; no one knew it as intimately or cared for it as deeply as they did. It was amazing to see the dedication of these individuals. And now I got to be a part of it.

On a personal level, things were going well too. I'd gotten to know Bella rather quickly, and we spent a lot of our time together. Sure, we were supposed to work together to create songs for our characters on the show, but spending time with her wasn't just work. It was pleasure too. So much pleasure. I enjoyed getting to know her, learning about her – her likes, her dislikes, quirks, and dreams. She'd drawn me in on that first day, but since then she'd hooked me. I woke every morning with her on my mind and fell asleep every night thinking about her.

Working with her was magical too. She got me on a level I don't think anyone else ever had. She could listen to me play a rhythm and within minutes be singing a few lines that fit like a glove. Sometimes I had to concentrate really hard on playing, because when she opened her mouth, the most beautiful sound came out. Often, I'd be mesmerized by her and not even realize I'd stopped playing so I could just watch. It was those moments that she'd look at me, and a slight redness would appear on her cheeks. She'd smile shyly and look away. It was captivating.

One night three weeks after meeting, she was at my apartment working on a song she'd told me about. Apparently, she had dreamed about it and had the sudden need to get it down on paper. She's called me around 9:00pm, was at my apartment by 9:30, and now it was closing in on 1:00am. We had to be at the studio in seven hours, but I couldn't bring myself to wrap up our session. I wanted to spend every second with her that I could. She sat on the couch in her signature pose with her legs pulled underneath her. I'd given her a blanket to cover her legs when she mentioned being a little chilled. I might have suggested she try wearing pants, but it wouldn't do any good. I'd never seen her in anything other than a dress.

"Edward." I stopped playing and looked up at her from my spot on the coffee table directly in front of her. "Do you have a girlfriend?" My eyebrows shot up at her question, and I cleared my throat.

"Well," I stuttered then told myself to pull it together. "We're pretty busy, so I don't have a lot of time for meeting people."

"That doesn't answer my question." She shifted a little and a piece of her hair fell in front of her face. "We make time for the people we want to make time for."

"I don't have a girlfriend." I leaned forward and tucked the stray strand behind her ear. "And I still make time for the ones I want to." She looked up and her eyes locked with mine. "You're here." She bit her lip and smiled. Quickly though, she cleared her throat, averted her eyes, and leaned back, my hand dropping from where it had been cupping her face.

"That's what I want to convey in this song." She jotted something down in her notebook. "How we make time. That feeling of not wanting it to end. Something feels like it's missing, but I don't know what." I sat back and pulled my guitar into my hands again.

"Let's try it as a duet. Maybe that's what you're missing, a second voice." She peeked up at me and nodded.

 _It's almost sunrise  
Hours and hours gone by  
Candles are burned down  
Turned into morning light_

 _The time to go has come and gone  
Why can't I? Why can't I say goodnight?_

Bella closed her eyes and swayed with the music. This was a sign she was feeling it now. I smiled, happy to see her happy.

 _The whole world is sleeping  
And still I can't give in  
It's a love story  
I never want to end_

 _The time to go has come and gone  
Why can't I? Why can't I say goodnight?_

I moved to sit next to her on the couch, leaned back, and closed my eyes.

 _I'm using up all my strength  
I can't tear myself away  
It only gets harder as night turns to day_

 _There isn't one place  
Honey, that I'd rather be  
Right here in your arms  
With your head lying on me_

 _The time to go has come and gone  
Why can't I? Why can't I say goodnight?_

 _Darling, why can't I say goodnight?_

Perfect. I just stayed there a moment and relished in the feeling of another song complete. More importantly though, I stayed there trying to work up the courage to tell Bella how I felt. I needed her to know what she meant to me, how she made me feel warm, happy, content, and energized all at the same time. I knew she felt something for me too; I just needed to man up and tell her.

"Edward," her whispered voice sounded next to my ear.

I'd been so engrossed in my internal pep talk I hadn't felt her move. I opened my eyes, rolled my head to the side, and smiled at her. _Beautiful_. Without thinking, I leaned forward and placed my lips softly against hers. _Heaven._ She sighed and melted into me. A warm tingle spread thought me at the action. I blindly sat the guitar to the side, slid one hand onto her long slender neck, and caressed her soft cheek with the other.

She moaned, shivered, and then moved to slide onto my lap. I groaned at her action and deepened the kiss, the tingles I'd felt earlier turning into a small flame. She placed her hands on my chest and leaned forward into the kiss. I allowed us a few more moments of exploration before pulling back slowly but leaving her with one last chaste kiss. I watched as she reached up and placed a hand against her lips as a small smile tugged at them. It took a few more seconds before her sparkling eyes opened to look at mine. She giggled before leaning forward and burying her face in my neck. I smiled and slid my arms to wrap around her small frame.

"Don't go gettin' shy on me now," I told her, my voice a little husky. I didn't really mind though. It was moments like this that endeared her to my heart.

"Can we just stay here like this for a while?" She snaked her hands around me as well.

"For as long as you want."

~ND~

Being with Bella after that night was effortless. It'd been four months now. It felt like it'd been a week, but at the same time it felt like it'd been forever. Things with her were new and exciting, but they were also familiar and comfortable. She just fit into my life seamlessly, like she was meant to be there all along. We were so attuned to each other. You could hear it in the music, see it in our interactions. Even the other writers, especially Jason and Sheena, saw it. Jason ribbed me about it often, but in a good-natured way.

We were set to meet the actors today, something we were all very excited about. We'd heard rumors of potential picks, but no one, Mike included, would confirm or deny our guesses. Once I was ready, I called Bella to see if she was awake. She'd been over until 3:00 am this morning working on a song. I'd tried to convince her to stay since it was so late, but she turned me down. Everything was at her apartment that she'd need for the next day, so she wanted to head back. I kissed her goodnight, sent her on her way, and told her to let me know once she got there safely. I worried about her being out so late at night. She'd gotten there within 20 minutes, and after receiving her text, I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow. We talked for a few minutes, and I told her I'd stop by her apartment on the way to pick her up. She said to give her ten minutes before leaving my place, so I called home in the meantime.

"Hey, Momma," I greeted her once she answered the phone.

"Hi, Baby Boy," she said, and I rolled my eyes. "How are you today?"

"I'm good. About to head in to meet the actors for the show. I think we'll be playing some of the songs for them that we've come up with so far. Should be interesting." She hummed.

"Anything else you want to tell me?" I guess she'd gotten the last CD I had sent them. Every time we recorded something new, I sent it to Momma and Daddy. Sure, they'd hear it when the show aired, but they liked to hear my stuff as soon as it was cut. I blew out a breath and prepared myself for the questions.

"You were right." I could hear her trying to contain her excitement.

"What was I right about?"

" _Momma_." She giggled.

"Tell me about her." I moved to the couch and sat down to get comfortable.

"Her name's Bella. She's…beautiful and kind and sweet and just everything good in the world." Momma sighed. "She's everything."

"Oh!" She sniffled. "It sounds like you love her very much."

"I do. I'm gonna marry her one day." Her sniffles turned to quiet cries.

"Oh, Edward."

"Don't cry, Momma. You'll love her."

"I have no doubt." She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "I'm just so happy for you."

"Is it really like this?" She hummed. "It's just that…every moment with her feels like sweet relief. I can just – I can breathe. Does that make sense? There are no games. I don't wonder what's going on or worry about what I'm doing, not like with the women I've dated before. I don't even care about all the heartaches in the past. It's like everything was leading me to this, to her. She's nothing like the others, nothing like what I thought I was looking for. But she was! She is! She's what I was looking for. But I didn't know it. You know?" I stopped when I heard Momma and Daddy laughing on the other end.

"You've got it bad, Son," Daddy said teasingly. "But we understand exactly what you're saying." I was nodding even though they couldn't see me.

"I can't wait for y'all to meet her. When can you come out? We can't get away for a while or I'd bring her to you." I kicked myself back into gear, pocketed my keys, and left for Bella's with my guitar in hand.

"I think we can come next month. Let us get a few things hammered out at work then we'll let you know. It sounds like you're on your way out. Do we need to let you go?"

"Yeah. I'm headed to pick up Bella then we're off to the studio. I love you guys."

~ND~

The energy in the studio was buzzing when Bella and I arrived. We were the last of the songwriters to walk in and immediately joined in with the group. We spent the next thirty minutes finessing the latest song we'd been perfecting until we saw newcomers arriving. Before long, Mike arrived with a slew of people I didn't recognize. This had to be them. Jeff, one of the producers, grabbed two of them and moved toward Bella and me. I nudged her to pull her attention away from her notebook and we stood to greet them.

"So, as we've talked about," Jeff said, jumping straight to the point, "we've paired songwriters with actors. Bella and Edward, meet Sam and Clare. They will be acting as Gunnar and Scarlett on the show. Sam, Clare, this is Bella and Edward, they're your songwriters." I reached forward to shake their hands.

"It's nice to meet you," I greeted.

"Same here, mate," Sam said enthusiastically in an English accent. "It's about time we were able to meet you. They said you've come up with some ace material so far."

"We think so." I motioned toward the couch. "Sit. Get comfortable." Jeff stepped back but stayed to observe. I knew this was part of their process. We moved to sit down. There wasn't much room for all of us so Bella sat in my lap causing those around us to smile.

"I'm Clare. Nice to meet you," the actress said in what I thought was an Australian accent and reached forward to shake my hand. "What do you two need from us?"

"We just need to get to know you, to know your soul. It'll all fall into place after that," Bella said with a calm smile. Clare beamed.

"I think this is ripper! Can we hear something?" I looked at Bella who smiled back at me. We were used to being put on the spot, but these were our actors, our characters, they were _us_. Something about it felt different.

"What about the new one?" What? My brows furrowed. I was surprised that she would bring that one up.

"I wrote that for you." She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and threaded her fingers through the hair at the nape of my neck.

"And I love you for it, but it's too beautiful, too important not to share with the world." Her faith and pride in me were intoxicating. Unable to tell her no, I nodded. She clapped and giggled giddily then stood from my lap, handed me the guitar, and sat on the coffee table in front of us.

I started strumming, and the other songwriters, not recognizing the tune, turned to watch. This was a song I'd written for Bella over the last month. Every word, especially the stuff Momma had said, just made complete sense to me now. I sang it to Bella about two weeks ago, and she'd cried before kissing the shit out of me. I closed my eyes and smiled at the memory as Bella's beautiful voice rang out in that beautiful, pure quality I could listen to for hours.

 _There's no music, no confetti  
Crowds don't cheer, and bells don't ring  
But you'll know it, I can guarantee  
When the right one comes along_

The next line was how I'd first started to realize what she meant to me, so I joined my voice with hers.

 _What they're thinkin', what you're feelin,_

 _You no longer have to guess_

 _All those questions are finally put to rest  
When the right one comes along_

 _Every single broken heart will lead you to the truth_

 _You think you know what you're lookin' for  
'Til what you're lookin' for finds you_

Those words rang so true for me that it overwhelmed me. I had to pause over the next few lines to pull my emotions under control. I was pretty good at keeping it together while I sang, but this girl did things to me.

 _In a cold world, it's a warm place  
Where you know that you're supposed to be_

 _A million moments full of sweet relief  
When the right one comes along  
_  
Bella's warm eyes met mine, and she smiled nodding encouragingly so I took a deep breath and kept my eyes locked on hers as I began singing again.

 _Every single broken heart will lead you to the truth  
You think you know what you're lookin' for  
Til what you're lookin' for finds you_

She winked at me, and I had to shake my head. I glanced over at Clare and Sam to find them enraptured as they watched her. I understood that feeling. She was captivating.

 _It's so easy, nothin' to it  
Though you may not believe me now  
Oh but I promise, honey you'll find out  
When the right one comes along_

My voice grew quiet as the sincerity of the lyrics threatened to overwhelm me again.

 _All that changes is only everything  
When the right one comes along_

As the chords came to a close and the music faded off, I realized how quiet it was around us. I pulled my eyes from Bella to see everyone just staring and felt the heat rise in my cheeks when Sheena wiped a tear from her eye. Bella leaned forward and kissed me softly whispering a 'thank you' like she did every time I played her song.

"I, uh," Jeff's stutter drew my attention. "We have you," he pointed to Clare, "with Avery, but…" He trailed off with a look of concentration on his face. "I think…" He turned quickly. "Mike, let's talk." We all looked at each other and laughed.

"Let's show 'em something else, guys," I said trying to turn the attention away from me. "Sheena, do Wrong Song." Bella clapped; she loved it every time we did that one. I stood to take my place on the drums as everyone else was moving around to take their places. Her hand clasping mine stopped me before I got too far away. When I turned to her, she placed her hand over my heart. "I love you too."


End file.
